Thursday sales cause
shopping dilemmas

Gretchen Hunt
Editor

For the past several years, after being talked into insanity during a moment of weakness, I have enjoyed Black Friday shopping with a group of ladies from my church.

I must admit I am torn by new developments that have much of the Black Friday shopping starting on Thanksgiving. I hate to support sales that prevent employees from spending time with their family on this special holiday.

Last year, when sales began at 10 p.m., the crowds were crazy enough, but with sales now beginning at 6 p.m., and some stores promoting shopping all day on Thanksgiving, it makes me sad to think that a day of Thanksgiving seems to be becoming a day of greed.

The truth is, though, that many families are able to purchase gifts they would not otherwise be able to buy because of the deals they get during these special sales. There are positives and negatives to the situation for sure.

If I had my way, I would want the businesses to at least wait until late in the evening on Thanksgiving and preferably after midnight to begin sales.

To me that is part of what makes Black Friday fun. Feeling a little bit crazy for being out at 2 in the morning trying to get that special gift. Running down to the store at 6 after Thanksgiving dinner just seems too easy and will undoubtedly make the crowds completely unbearable.

It still remains to be seen if I will find myself in the mix of the Thanksgiving Day shopping. The determining factor will probably be what time I get done with my celebration, which I must admit makes me feel guilty about even considering going if it means someone else had to give up time with their family.

Small Business
Saturday offers
easy decision

One event, though, that we can all support without any guilt is an event that in recent years is gaining recognition alongside Black Friday and Cyber Monday. That event is Small Business Saturday.

On Small Business Saturday, individuals are encouraged to support the backbone of their community by making purchases at small businesses. Residents can provide their support in a variety of ways. Whether it be purchasing a gift certificate to a local service business, buying a Christmas gift from a local retail store or simply eating at a locally-
owned restaurant, individuals can make a difference for small businesses.

We all have our shopping decisions to make. Whether I end up shopping on Thursday or not, I definitely plan to be sure I support small businesses on Saturday.